Til Death Do Us Part
by Trolley
Summary: A collection of sappy one-shot fics in which the guys tie the knot...written for the girls of the NML, so ya'll better review, haha!
1. Fighter and David

First up on my list of wedding fics comes my girl Fighter. Hope you enjoy it, even though it's not Spot!  
  
Disclaimer: What do you people wants from me??? *looks around timidly* Eh, heh heh, never mind...don't own anything...duh...  
  
~*~  
  
Randy "Fighter" Peterson stared out the window of her small room as she thought. She had been doing a lot of that, seeing as how her wedding was, in fact, tomorrow! Right now, she was remembering how she and David Jacobs first met. She could barely even recall their first acquaintance; only the fact that when her best friend Jack Kelly had introduced them, she thought he was the most effeminate man she had ever met. Well, not exactly effeminate, more like…a wimp. Yeah, a wimp, a wus, a sissy. Compared to herself at least! Randy chuckled as she mused about how such a fearless, aggressive, cocky tom-boy and a sweet, respectful, and seemingly wimpy boy could be drawn together. But Fighter had realized early on that there was much more to David than met the eye. She recalled first noticing it during the strike. The way he stood right alongside the leader of Manhattan and took such a decisive stand against the top-dogs and big-wigs of New York. But it wasn't this that finally won her over. For Fighter's sixteenth birthday, Dave had bought her a present. A very simple gesture, really. It hadn't been much, simply a cheap locket in a wooden box. But it meant more to Fighter than anyone could have ever imagined. No one had ever remembered her birthday before, mostly because they had never cared to know it. They knew that if they asked, they would be lucky to escape without a black eye. But somehow, Davey found out. And he cared enough to blow a whole buck on this girl who would barely give him the time of day. Randy giggled as she remembered the meek, sweet, nervous look on his blushing face as he handed her the box and simply said, "Happy Birthday, Fighter. I-I hope you like it." She clutched the small locket still hanging around her neck, which now contained a small photo of her and her love.   
  
The waning purplish light coming through the window told Randy that it was time to get to bed. Needless to say, she had a big day ahead of her tomorrow.  
  
---  
  
Randy woke up to a chorus of butterflies flitting about in her stomach, reminding her that it was the morning of the most important day of her life. She stretched and dragged herself out of bed, examined herself in the small mirror over her dresser, and headed to the bathroom to shower. She towel-dried and began to dry out her shoulder-length blonde hair when she heard a knock at her door.   
  
"Come on in, Duchess," she called to her maid of honor, who bustled in excitedly.  
  
"Come on, girl, we'se gotta get you ready! It's your big day today!" Duchess' grin was broad as she looked at her beaming best friend. "So where's da dress, huh?"  
  
Fighter rolled her eyes at the thought of donning a dress, even for this occasion. Normally, she couldn't be paid to wear one. However, she reasoned that, for her wedding day, she could degrade herself. It would be her first time ever wearing a dress, and she was almost excited. "It's in me closet."  
  
Duchess skipped over to the closet and giddily found the beautiful white dress, bringing it back to Fighter. "'Ere ya go, Hon! I can't wait to see ya in it!"  
  
Fighter shook her head as she did her hair in a simple French twist. "Jus 'elp me wit me makeup, awight?"  
  
Duchess giggled and did as asked.  
  
~~~  
  
David Jacobs took a deep breath. The constant nagging of his sister and mother was becoming, although usually appreciated, quite annoying on this, his wedding day. He rubbed his temples calmingly. "Sarah, please, you're running around like a chicken with your head cut off!"  
  
Sarah threw down the cumberbund and huffed at her brother. "Well, someone has to! I mean, someone's gotta make sure you look decent for your own wedding!"  
  
"Ma!"  
  
"She's right, David, please just let her help!" Esther was busy finishing up with the cake.  
  
Sarah practically tackled her brother and went at his head with a comb. "Now we have to do something with this hair…"  
  
Mayer, who had been sitting back in his chair and watching the events of the morning with a somewhat detached interest, chuckled and stood to his feet, walking over to his daughter. "Sarah, I know your brother appreciates all your help," Mayer began, trying not to laugh at the imploring gaze his son gave him, "but I think he's perfectly capable of getting himself ready today, alright?"  
  
Sarah sighed and calmly put down the comb. "Fine! Alright, let 'im look like a bum!" She stormed off to go help her mother in the kitchen.  
  
Mayer gave his distressed son a pat on the back. "David, this is going to be a wonderful day! Don't let anyone stress you out. You've got nothin to be nervous about. Randy's a wonderful girl, and you both already know you have my blessing."  
  
David took his father's hand and looked at him gratefully. "Thanks, Dad. I know, but I just can't help having those pre-wedding jitters, you know?"  
  
"Yes, I do, son. I'd be worried if ya wasn't feelin a bit nervous. But jus don't let it get the better of you, okay?"  
  
David nodded and smiled, picking up the comb and trying to do something with his hair.  
  
~~~  
  
Randy took a deep breath as she examined her reflection in the mirror. "Well, Duchess, how do I look?"  
  
"Positively gorgeous!" The two girls had already arrived at the church and were busy with a few last-minute preparations. So far, everything seemed to be going smoothly. The wedding was small and simple, so the preparations weren't too much trouble. The reception was to be held at Irving Hall, and David's mother and sister were taking care or the flowers and other decorations, so all Fighter had to worry about was getting herself ready -- and making herself feel comfortable in a dress. It actually wasn't as bad as she had always imagined it to be. She swished the large, puffy skirt around her legs with a somewhat dreamy look in her eyes as she began to get lost in thought.   
  
"Hey, Fightah. Fightah! Hey, snap out of it!"  
  
Fighter jerked as she was woken from her reverie by Duchess' voice. "Huh? Oh sorry, yeah."  
  
"Ya startin ta get noivous?"  
  
"Nah," Randy scoffed. "You know I don't nevah get noivous." However, she couldn't shake the jitters and butterflies. She thought was doing a good job in concealing this unwanted emotion, but Duchess could always see right through her.  
  
"Oh, of course ya are!" Duchess pulled her friend into a hug. "But it's okay, ain't nuttin to be ashamed of! Everyone gets noivous on dey're weddin day, it's jus how it is!"  
  
Fighter sighed and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, get offa me!" She smiled jokingly as she took a deep breath. "Well, I guess dis is it, huh?" A feeling of immense joy fixed with anxiety welled up in her as she considered this. "I'se getting married!"  
  
---  
  
David opened his eyes with a smile. His mother and sister had gone on ahead to prepare the chapel for the wedding, and he had had a moment to relax and be alone with his thoughts. He loved Fighter so much, and most of his fears of marriage had been allayed. She was so different from other girls. He usually didn't go for girls of her type. He had originally thought he would marry someone like his sister: a calm, sweet, docile, homemaker type. But there was just something about Fighter, something so irresistible. He loved the air of mystery about her. He had seen through her rough shell right away and knew that she was a girl he would fall in love with. Turns out he had been right.  
  
"David?" his father called from the other room. "It's about time to get goin."  
  
"Alright, I'm comin."   
  
Mayer greeted his son with a hug. "How ya doin? Ya ready?"  
  
David grinned and clapped his father on the back. "You bet!"  
  
---  
  
"Oh, Randy, you look absolutely gorgeous!" Sarah ran up to Fighter and embraced her.   
  
Fighter put on her best fake smile. "Heya Sarah. Hello Mrs. Jacobs."  
  
Esther lay a hand on her future daughter-in-law's shoulder and squeezed it gently. She smiled warmly. "We're so happy for you two!"  
  
Fighter smiled kindly upon this woman who had become almost a surrogate mother to her over the past five years or so. She pulled Esther into a comforting hug. Esther had accepted her from day one. Randy was almost as in love with her as she was with her son. Esther Jacobs had had become a roll model in many ways to the young girl. It had been somewhat the same with Mayer. She looked up to him just as she would have her own father, had he not died before she had hardly gotten a chance to know him. This was her family now, Randy realized. And today, she was officially becoming one of them. Her heart warmed at the thought of truly having a family for the first time in her life. Randy was shaken back into reality by Sarah shooing her into a back room as the organ began to play softly.  
  
The church was small and quaint, yet elegantly, almost elaborately, decorated, thanks to the tireless care that Esther had put into it. The family, including Fighter herself, had been saving for awhile to see to it that the couple had the best wedding possible. As the few guests began to quietly filter in through the large wooden doors of the tiny church house, they were greeted not only by several ushers, but also by a nearly overpowering floral aroma.   
  
Fighter watched from backstage as the guys walked in, some of them with a girl in tow. These guys that had become her family. She had known no other, had no deeper concept of family than these ragged newsboys. But today, all that would change.  
  
~~~  
  
David, however, having had the idea of "family" instilled in him from a very early age, saw the boys as more of an addition, brothers of sorts. Since going back to school shortly after the strike, David was sure to keep in close contact with his friends. He visited the lodging house often, and never hesitated to buy a paper from any newsboy he saw on the street.  
  
~~~  
  
Fighter took a deep breath, contemplating the events that were about to play out. She knew she wanted to do it, she was certainly ready, but it seemed too good to be true. What had David, a refined, intelligent, sweet gentleman, seen in this loud, brash, defiant tomboy…?  
  
~~~  
  
As David heard his cue and began to walk down the aisle, he felt as if he were the luckiest guy in the world. Why had this beautiful, strong, assertive young woman, chosen him, this small, meek, quiet boy…?  
  
~~~  
  
Fighter watched her handsome groom, waiting for her turn. She felt more nervous, expectant, ecstatic, euphoric, than she had ever felt before. When it was time, she stepped out of the room, took Mayer's arm, and let him lead her down the aisle.  
  
~~~  
  
David's breath caught in his throat as he took in the visage of his gleaming bride. A new addition to his loving family, yet in so many ways a breach from them. As he watched a lone tear trickle down his father's smiling face, he realized that he was starting his own family. They would be moving out soon, beginning their new life.  
  
Randy felt an intense surge of love for this family she would be joining, She grinned up at Mayer, then back to David. She was on the threshold of a new life. There was no turning back now.  
  
David turned to face the preacher as Fighter joined his side. His mind raced with mixed emotions, but the presiding was love. He barely heard the words of the preacher, or chose to block them out. The words from Genesis resounded in his brain: "For this cause shall a man leave his father and his mother…"  
  
"…and shall cleave to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh." Fighter didn't know what the future held, but she couldn't wait to pursue it with David. But one thought (Not good enough…) kept niggling at the back of her brain…  
  
David smiled down at his bride for reassurance, and listened for the fateful words of the preacher, his mind still racing. New life… "I do."  
  
Family, I'll finally have a family. "I do."  
  
She's my family now. I love her, and so does my (old) family…  
  
Why does he love me? What does he see?  
  
I can't wait to start our new life…  
  
I love him. He makes me good enough.  
  
"You may kiss the bride." With these words, all thoughts ceased, all doubts eradicated. With the joining of their lips came the meshing of their souls, and they both knew that it was good. 


	2. Trolley and Kid Blink

Yes, I'm doing my chapter second, selfish little me! *grin* I realize it's not very realistic, how they met and all, but that's not what I was goin for...and the thing with her parents...yeah, I just pretty much wanted to get them out of the way so I didn't have to worry about writing them in...yeah...  
  
Disclaimer: What do you people wants from me??? *looks around timidly* Eh, heh heh, never mind...don't own anything but Trolley and kind of Angel...Stagey owns herself and is used without permission (oops...forgot to ask...) but I really can't see her minding! Angel is my best friend is real life, and yes, she is portrayed very accurately, as is our relationship. Oh, and my name's really not Anabelle Lee...So, without further ado...  
  
~*~  
  
Annabelle "Trolley" Lee hurriedly slathered on some light pink lipstick as her maid of honor, Elizabeth "Angel" Louis helped her curl her long red hair and secure the flowers in it. "Oh, Angel! I'm so nervous!"  
  
"Ain't ya excited?" Angel tried to soothe her friend by rubbing her tense shoulders.   
  
Trolley took a shaky breath and fluttered her hands madly. "Of course I am! I love   
  
Blink--" she closed her eyes and paused as a fresh batch of butterflies flitted about in her stomach at the thought of her groom. "But I'm just afraid I'll do somethin stupid."  
  
Angel knelt down next to her friend and hugged her shaking shoulders. "Oh goil, it'll be alright, you'll be great! Jus relax for a minute, take a few deep breaths."  
  
Trolley did as suggested and closed her eyes, thinking back on her and Blink's past. She and her family had moved to New York a few years ago when her prestigious father was transferred from his journalism job from South Carolina to cover the news of the strikes going on up in New York. He and the rest of her family had since died in a tragic train wreck several years ago, leaving the teenager to fend for herself, relying on the help of the newsies, who had become her friends, near brothers, through Blink.  
  
She remembered the first time she saw the handsome blonde newsboy with the eye patch. Anabelle was on her way to school one morning and she passes the corner on which Blink was selling that morning. She smiled as she remembered the headline he had called out. "Dead corpse found in dumpster behind restaurant! Read awl about it!"  
  
She had blushed and giggled when the boy tipped his hat at her and murmured "Thank you miss," when she handed him a nickel and rushed off without her change. After school, Anabelle unconsciously scanned the newsboys scattered thickly around the city for "her one-eyed cutie," but saw no sign of him until the next morning, when she walked by that same corner, and bought a paper from the same newsie from the day before.  
  
These morning rendezvous had continued for several weeks, neither of them saying anything more than a "Hello" or "Good morning" in passing. Anabelle remembered the first real words she had ever said to him.  
  
HTML i Nice headline," she whispered, with a slight blush and giggle.p   
  
"Thanks," he returned, dropping his head with a shy grin. Then she bought the paper and left. These flirty greetings eventually evolved into: "Hey, um, uh, you, um, whatcha doin later, like, um, dis afternoon?" p  
  
Anabelle grinned, red faced. "Nothin." p  
  
"Well, um, you, uh, maybe like wanna do somethin, like, go out to eat, or somethin?" p  
  
"Yeah, I'd like that."p  
  
Excited, flushed smiles.p  
  
"Great! Um, let's meet back 'ere at, um, about t'ree, dat sound good?"p  
  
Adamant nod. p  
  
"Great! Uh, wanna paper?" p  
  
She took the paper and handed him a nickel, turning to leave with a wave.p  
  
"Hey, wait!"p  
  
She whirled back around.p  
  
"What yer name?"p  
  
"Anabelle," she answered with a grin. "And yours?"p  
  
"Dey call me Kid Blink."p/i/HTML  
  
Then he had winked at her. Now, granted, it's pretty hard to tell whether he's blinking or winking, but somehow he had perfected the art of making a distinguishable difference between the two. Anabelle could certainly tell. She remembered that that day at school had been her longest ever. And after the first date, they had both known. It had to be love. A blissful smile passed over Trolley's lips as all these thoughts passed through her mind. Angel decided to sit back and let her friend have this trip down memory lane. As she reminisced, Trolley could not, for the life of her, remember how she had gotten her nickname.  
  
But Blink did. It was from the first paper he had ever sold her. "Trolley strike resolved! Laborers back to work!" had been the headline. He had called the beautiful stranger Trolley from then on. The first time he had asked her to Tibby's (for that is where their first date ended up), he had to remind himself not to call her that. But somehow, the nickname had stuck, especially when she finally met the rest of the guys. Trolley just seemed to fit this bright, cheery, charming redhead.  
  
"Hellooo!" Mush waved a hand in front of his friend's oblivious face.  
  
"Huh? Oh, hey Mush."  
  
Mush rolled his eyes and whacked Blink in the head. "Come on, Kid, we'se gotta get goin if ya wanna get to Staten Island on time." He looked back at Blink and furrowed his brow at the groom-to-be's slightly pale face. "Ey, you okay?"  
  
Blink shook his head and rubbed his temples as a wave of anxiety washed over him. He took a few deep breaths and looked up at Mush with fear in his eye. "Mush, I'se so noivous."  
  
"Ah, come on, man! You'll be great, you're about to get married--" Mush was cut off at that word by a whimper from Blink. He put his arm around his friend's shoulders.  
  
"Mush, I dunno if I wanna do dis.  
  
~*~  
  
Angel looked at the clock, realizing that their time was slowly waning. She shook her friend's shoulder. "Hey, it's almost time, come on!"  
  
Trolley quickly jumped up out of her chair at the surprise, immediately tripping before she could even take a step and landing in a heap on the floor.  
  
Angel laughed and helped her up. "You okay?" she asked nonchalantly, chuckling.   
  
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," she lied, trying to ignore the fierce pain in her ankle.  
  
"You sure?" Angel's brow furrowed when she heard a hint of pain in her friend's voice.   
  
"Yeah." Her efforts to stand up and walk resulted in a few limps and a collapse on her bed.  
  
A concerned Angel sat next to the smaller girl, who was now curled in a ball, holding her leg. "Oh no, what's wrong? Is it your ankle? Lemme see."  
  
Trolley nodded and obediently lay her leg across Angel's lap. Angel clucked maternally as she looked at the swelling foot. "Oh no, what are we gonna do? We're gonna have to postpone the wedding, you can't walk on that."  
  
"We're doing no such thing," she growled somewhat ferally. "I'll be fine, just go get me some ice!"  
  
Angel recoiled a bit at her friend's unnaturally harsh tone and went to do as requested. Once she was gone, Trolley fell back with a sigh of frustration and pain. Why did this have to happen today? What was she going to do? Well, one thing she wasn't going to do was postpone the wedding. But how would she walk down the aisle? Just walk it off now, she told herself. As she was trying her best to do this, Angel returned with a bag of ice, and upon seeing this, practically tackling her.   
  
"What do you think you're doing?" she bellowed, pinning Trolley to the bed.  
  
"Walkin it off, what'd it look like?!" Trolley grunted, fighting under the weight. She then realized that she had to look good for her impending wedding, so she settled for a slight squirm.  
  
"Oh, no no, young lady. Wrong answer. You're going to stay off that ankle until it's all better, and you know it!" As alluded to earlier, Angel had a strong maternal instinct. This was especially strong towards her best friend, who had a history of trying to ignore injuries and sickness. She took advantage of the fact that she outweighed the small girl by a considerable amount.  
  
Trolley was starting to get mad. "Well then how am I supposed to walk down the aisle? Cause this wedding is certainly going to be today!"  
  
But Angel was stubborn. She had always been extremely headstrong, especially compared to the laid-back, happy-go-lucky, compromising Anabelle. She had won many a stupid fight in their long past, and she was quite certain she would win this one as well. "I don't think so. I'm sure everyone will understand."  
  
"I don't care! This is supposed to be the happiest day of my life, and I'm not gonna let some stupid twisted ankle ruin it for me and Blink!" Trolley was near tears of anger and frustration.  
  
Angel loosened her hold on her friend's shoulders and pulled her into a hug, which was barely returned.   
  
Trolley roughly pushed herself out of Angel's arms. "Just leave me alone and let me have my wedding!'  
  
Angel was slightly taken aback by Trolley's uncharacteristic aggression. But she knew she could out-stubborn her friend this time, just like always. It was for her own good! "Trolley, I ain't letting ya out dat door." She crossed the room and placed her hand around the doorknob.  
  
"You wanna bet?" Trolley yelled, limping over to the door and trying to push the other girl out of the way. This only resulted in another pinning to the bed.   
  
That was when she lost it. Tears began to stream down Trolley's cheeks and her face screwed up in frustration. She curled into a ball. "I just wanted to have the perfect wedding!" she sobbed. "And I just blew it all! I can't let everyone down, Angel! You just don't understand!" The injured bride peeked out to check Angel's reaction to her sudden paroxysm and silently congratulated herself on her performance.  
  
Angel softly stroked her friend's head and tried to allay her cries. "Ey, I know how much it means to you, but I'se jus tryin to look out for ya!"  
  
Trolley sat up and wiped the tears from her face. "I'm going to walk down that aisle today," she uttered softly, trying not to sound too challenging.  
  
Angel sighed and shook her head, then brought her gaze up to meet Trolley's resolute one. For once, Anabelle had won. For the first time in a long time, Angel had been out-stubborned. "Fine. Do whateva you want." She stood up and began to walk out of the room. "I just don't care anymore."  
  
"Elizabeth, wait!" Trolley called to her retreating form, but to no avail. She sighed angrily and threw a pillow to the floor. She lay back, took a deep breath, and let it out in a scream. "Well, that felt good." Then, as she always did when she was nervous or irritated, as she most certainly was now, she began to talk to herself. "Now, just forget her, don't let it bother you, screw her. Just pull yourself together, make yourself beautiful for Blink." Her heart once again softened at the thought of her love as she hobbled over to the mirrow to clean up her face, fix her slightly disheveled hair, and re-do her makeup. She shoved Angel as far away from her thoughts as she could as she desperately tried to fight back the tears. Eventually, she succeeded in hardening her emotions toward her best friend so that she was consumed only with the magic of her wedding day. They would make up sooner or later, anyway, as they always did. Anabelle stood up, satisfied with her nearly shining appearance, then sat down to ice her throbbing ankle.  
  
"Hey honey, it's time to go, come on!" Backstage called, poking her head in the door.  
  
Trolley quickly dropped the ice pack before her friend could see it. "Alright Stage, I'll be right out!"  
  
"Alright," a slightly concerned Stagey answered slowly, closing the door behind her.  
  
Anabelle took a deep breath and stood up, taking a determined step on the injured foot. She bit back a cry of pain and tried again, with each step becoming more resolute. She gathered her necessary materials and opened the door, meeting Stagey with a huge, forced grin. "Well, let's go!"  
  
Stagey looked at her askance. She could tell something was wrong. "Sweetheart, are you alright?"  
  
Trolley put on her best face and cocked her head confusedly. "Yeah, I'm fine. Well, what are we waitin for, come on! I'm getting married!"  
  
~*~  
  
"I can't do dis, Mush. I dunno what's goin on, I jus know I can't go t'rough wit dis."  
  
Mush put his hands on the back of his friend's neck and squeezed his tense, knotted shoulders. "Aw, come on man, sure ya can! You love dis goil, right?"  
  
"Of course I do!"  
  
"An' ya wanna spend da rest o' yer life wit her, right?"  
  
His head swam. "Ye-yeah, I do."  
  
"Den what's da problem?"  
  
Blink took a shaky breath and let it out in a nervous sigh. "I-I dunno, it's jus so final, ya know?"  
  
Mush failed to see a problem. "Yeah, dat's da point, Kid. It'll be alright, I promise. I jus know it, da moment ya see 'er, you'll be fine."  
  
Blink held his head in his hands and told himself over and over to calm down. He thought about what Mush had said, and realized that he was right. Each time he visualized his fiance's face, more of his qualms about the big M were allayed a bit more.  
  
Mush grinned as he watched the reassurance filter back over his friend's features. "You ready?"  
  
Blink took a deep breath, eye still closed, and nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, let's go."  
  
~*~  
  
"Where's Angel?"  
  
The two had reached the island and were getting ready in the small beach house that belonged to Angel's wealthy parents. They had graciously agreed to allow its use for the somewhat large reception and were more than happy to help out with preparations and such.  
  
Trolley smiled up at Stagey and quickly made something up. "She-she went on ahead to g-get stuff ready…" She resisted the sudden urge to burst into tears from the pain in her ankle, so instead she just closed her eyes and tilted her head back.  
  
Stagey walked over to her carefully and lay a hand on her shoulder. "You okay, hon?"  
  
"Yeah, jus a little nervous." Trolley opened her eyes and smiled up at her worried friend. She desperately wanted Stagey to stay with her for moral support and whatnot, but at the same time she silently prayed that the girl would leave so she could nurse her ankle.  
  
"Oh, I know, Trolley, but everything's gonna be alright! Yous two is in love, you'se gonna be so happy!"  
  
Trolley took another deep breath, mentally agreeing with her friend. If I can make it through the wedding…  
  
~*~  
  
It was a perfect day. The sun was beaming refulgent, creating a perfect backdrop for the chorus of the waves crashing on the sand, resounding through the crisp, salty breeze, which was blowing just right. Blink closed his eye as he took a deep breath of the clear, fresh salt air and waited for the ceremony to begin.  
  
The wedding was not to be traditional. There were no chairs; the guest were to sit in the sand (few of them gave it a second thought), and the "aisle" was covered by an embellished sheet which had been draped over several stakes stuck in the ground. Daisies and lilies adorned the canopy and wildflowers were strewn over the sand, tossed about in the wind.  
  
The beginning of the ceremony passed like a whirlwind for Blink. Before he knew it, he was standing in front of the preacher. But when he saw his bride, time nearly stopped. He watched her glide with dramatic ritardando up the aisle, which seemed at least a mile long, arm in arm with Race.  
  
~*~  
  
The wind whipped almost harshly through Trolley's hair, and she turned her head to the side, catching Angel's eye. She looked away as she felt a pang of remorse and anger, then did a double-take to observe a nearly apologetic smile on her friend's face. Trolley offered a tentative smirk in return. As it had been for all of their lives, everything was alright. When they would endlessly gush about the beauty of this day in the future, their former altercation would most likely not be brought up. The two had a way of doing that, of not holding grudges or exhuming old issues. Trolley could feel Race beaming at her, so she turned back to him with a huge smile as she desperately tried not to stumble or limp.  
  
Race's brow furrowed slightly. He could tell something was wrong. "You okay?" he muttered subtly.   
  
Trolley cursed inwardly. Race always had had a knack for reading right through her… She simply nodded and continued smiling. "Yeah, I think I broke my ankle," she confessed through bared teeth, "I'm fine though," she continued honestly, nearly melting in Blink's adoring gaze.  
  
Race turned to her with a look mixed with compassion and disbelief and shook his head, pulling her into a hug once they reached the pulpit. "Oh Troll, what're we gonna do wit yous?"   
  
Anabelle smiled and rolled her eyes and gestured with a head nod as if to say, "That's for Blink to decide." She let out a soft sigh of relief upon having made it that far, but felt that she couldn't take one more step without collapsing. She smiled almost pathetically up at Blink, who was too busy imagining their life together to notice the pain that lined her face. She turned her head back to the preacher, not really listening to what he had to say until it was her turn to respond. Her gaze drifted past him, to the white, foamy waves crashing almost lazily on the packed, wet sand, the glistening blue-green expanse stretching out as far as the eye could see and further, rounding off ever so evenly at the horizon line. Anabelle felt a twinge of homesickness and nostalgia for Charleston, where she had first fallen in love with the ocean. However, these feelings were quickly chased out of her soul by immense love and longing for what the future held. A salty breeze slapped her in the face and jostled through her hair, altering Trolley to her cue. "I do." Her neck craned slightly back up to her husband and her weight shifted infinitesimally, sending renewed pain shooting like an arrow up through her leg.   
  
Blink heard her soft, pained whimper and turned to her worriedly as the fateful words resounded. "You may kiss the bride."  
  
The short kiss felt like hours, officiating what they had both known and felt deep down ever since the first time they had lain eyes on one another.   
  
Trolley hugged him around the neck and hissed in his ear, "Blink, I twisted my ankle, I don't think I can walk anymore."  
  
Blink gasped quietly but remained calm, smirking as he easily scooped her up into his arms, much to the delight of their friends. Who were already "Woot"-ing and hollering.   
  
She retained her grip around his neck and laughed, deciding to make the most out of this situation. She let out a yell of her own and kissed Blink passionately as he carried her down the soft sand, perfectly content to stay like this forever… 


End file.
